Any reason why my po4 would have a reading and nothing on my no3?

[richiero]

Any reason why my po4 would have a reading and nothing on my no3? As of right now my po4 is 13 ppb phosphorus and my no3 is zero according to my no3 test kits.
Corals look good

130g
Algae scrubber being used
Dosing nitraphos minus
Skimmer
Fleece roller

Thank you !!!

 

[Nburg's Reef]

algae and corals use nitrogen and phosphates in different ratios, so if you are producing too much phosphate compared to nitrate, there will be left over phosphate in the water but no NO3. Algae uses something like 16 time more nitrogen than phosphate.

13ppb phosphate is nothing concerning, but I think having zero nitrate could potentially starve your corals depending on what you have in the long run.

Edit: Some with high phosphates and no nitrates have shown dosing nitrate, in the form of potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate, brings down phosphate as nitrogen is no longer the limiting factor.

 

[Quietman]

Not uncommon...have had same here. Normally, you'll find you have to manage those nutrients separately to get desired values.

I use carbon dosing as primary export and with that I can easily get to 0 ppm nitrate with .03-.08 ppm phosphate. There are issues with 0 nutrients so I back off on my carbon dosing to keep 3-5 ppm nitrate and use a phosphate removal media to control phosphate below .05 ppm.

 

[richiero]

Thank you for the info guys I will see how I can implement something to raise my no3

 

[madweazl]

Thank you for the info guys I will see how I can implement something to raise my no3

More fish is a good way (best way in my opinion).

 

[richiero]

I have 8 fish , how high of a PPB reading is acceptable in your opinion for Po4 ? I can lower the dose on of the nitraphos minus which might help the nitrate situation. Would increased feeding help the nitrates rise ?

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I have 8 fish , how high of a PPB reading is acceptable in your opinion for Po4 ? I can lower the dose on of the nitraphos minus which might help the nitrate situation. Would increased feeding help the nitrates rise ?

Sometime feeding more will equally raise po4 and NO3. I’m not sure what nitraphos is so I can’t comment on that, but I have used stump remover to raise nitrates in the past. It’s potassium nitrate. You can also buy sodium nitrate online which you won’t have to worry about adding potassium.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

This is what I used

 

[richiero]

Sometime feeding more will equally raise po4 and NO3. I’m not sure what nitraphos is so I can’t comment on that, but I have used stump remover to raise nitrates in the past. It’s potassium nitrate. You can also buy sodium nitrate online which you won’t have to worry about adding potassium.

 

[richiero]

This stuff ?
I’ve been skimming the article on here

sodium nitrate - Google Shopping

www.google.com

 

[SliceGolfer]

I use this. Be prepared for your turf scrubber to suck up all the nutrients. And watch iron uptake.

Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) Aquarium Fertilizer - 1lb Bag

Shop Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) Aquarium Fertilizer (1lb Bag) for fertilizing your aquarium plants. Brand: Green Leaf Aquariums (GLA). Orders ship fast worldwide and get free shipping on orders $125.

greenleafaquariums.com

 

[X-37B]

My 120 runs .02-.06 po4. No3 barely 1ish on salifert.
Small amount of algae in tank and on glass every few days. 12 fish and feed 4 times a day.
Wife feeds during the day and is out of town this week. Tested po4 0 no3 0 because im only feeding once a day this week.
Had to dose po4 twice this week to get a reading.
Most likely your turf scrubber is using up the no3 fast.
I would trim, reduce, or turn off the scrubber and monitor no3.
If your corals are doing well then there is enough no3 present.
Your po4 level is good.
Unless your having an issue with your corals I would not change anything.

Pics?

 

[richiero]

I use this. Be prepared for your turf scrubber to suck up all the nutrients. And watch iron uptake.

Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) Aquarium Fertilizer - 1lb Bag

Shop Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) Aquarium Fertilizer (1lb Bag) for fertilizing your aquarium plants. Brand: Green Leaf Aquariums (GLA). Orders ship fast worldwide and get free shipping on orders $125.

greenleafaquariums.com

Should I put my turf scrubber offline ?

 

[richiero]

My 120 runs .02-.06 po4. No3 barely 1ish on salifert.
Small amount of algae in tank and on glass every few days. 12 fish and feed 4 times a day.
Wife feeds during the day and is out of town this week. Tested po4 0 no3 0 because im only feeding once a day this week.
Had to dose po4 twice this week to get a reading.
Most likely your turf scrubber is using up the no3 fast.
I would trim, reduce, or turn off the scrubber and monitor no3.
If your corals are doing well then there is enough no3 present.
Your po4 level is good.
Unless your having an issue with your corals I would not change anything.

Pics?

I think I have to increase feed some I’ve one been feeding 2x’s a day ... I will send pics when I get home.

say if I reduced my nitraphos minus and my po4 went up to 20-25 ppb and that helped raise my no3 is 20–25 ppb a good po4 range ?

 

[X-37B]

Your carbon dosing using nitraphos. I just noticed it.
I would just stop dosing it and monitor. Its driving your levels down.
Feed the same.
Only change one thing at a time and monitor.
Keep scrubber running.
Your po4 may go up some but monitor.
No3 will come up too.

 

[richiero]

Your carbon dosing using nitraphos. I just noticed it.
I would just stop dosing it and monitor. Its driving your levels down.
Feed the same.
Only change one thing at a time and monitor.
Keep scrubber running.
Your po4 may go up some but monitor.
No3 will come up too.

Iyo would 15- 25 ppb be an acceptable range for po4?

 

[richiero]

Or bet 0.047-0.077 ppm Thx

 

[X-37B]

Or bet 0.047-0.077 ppm Thx

Those are good numbers.
Dont get hung up on numbers.
As long as im below 0.1 my tank is happy.

 

[richiero]

Those are good numbers.
Dont get hung up on numbers.
As long as im below 0.1 my tank is happy.

so anything up to 32 ppb will be acceptable and keep it under 0.1? So I got wiggle room being my po4 is 13ppb

https://www.hannainst.com/hubfs/006-finished-content/Aquarium/phosphorus-to-phosphate-conversion-table--hanna-instruments.pdf

 

[X-37B]

Mine has never been over .08 and for me there is no difference in my tank from .02 to .08.
Just tested and it was 2 ppb or .006.
Dosed 5 ml po4 yesterday and it only brought my tank from 1 to 2ppb.
Am back on feeding 4 times a day today.
No3 tested 1 today.
As long as I have some algae growth on the glass every few days im ok.
Have small amount of hair algae in DT but tangs and cleanup crew keep it in check.
Small amounts of hair algae in your tank is like an algae scrub er as long as its kept in check.